Friction reducing oil additive and method of mixing

ABSTRACT

A nano-fluid mixture of an ILSAC GF-5 resource-conserving motor oil (API SN) of 10W-30 viscosity mixed with a quantity of closed faceted non-shells carbon, formed by moving amorphous carbon through a plasma arc providing a heat greater than 5000° C., and a non-ionic surfactant having a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group, then mixing this nano-dispersant mixture with an ester of glycerol providing at least one free hydroxyl group, provides a friction-reducing oil additive beyond the friction reduction experienced by any of these elements alone or in other combinations.

The present disclosure relates to an oil additive and a method for mixing such oil additive; specifically, this disclosure relates to an oil additive which combines nano-sized carbon particles in a carrier oil and a non-ionic surfactant which when combined with an ester of glycerol having at least one hydroxyl group provides a substantial decrease in friction, greater than the resource conserving baseline reference oil alone.

BACKGROUND

It has long been appreciated that friction-reducing motor oil additives could substantially increase the efficiency of all engines permitting less wear and greater fuel efficiency. Motor oils have been developed over time with certain friction modifiers that allow them to surpass earlier oils in friction reduction and fuel economy benefits

For example, ASTM 7589 defines the Sequence VID Engine Test for Fuel Economy of motors oils which has determined that an ILSAC GF-5 (API SN) motor oil reduces friction, thereby providing lower fuel consumption over 100 hours of testing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,571 (Aug. 8, 1978) describes the friction reduction of adding an ester of polycarboxylic acid and a glycol to a zinc dihydroxocarbyl ditihiophosphate and an ashless dispersant containing a high molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon oil solubilizing group thereto and wherein the zinc or ester component are predispersed prior to adding them to the lubricating composition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,990 (Feb. 1, 1994) also describes a friction reducing motor oil additive adding a blend of amine/amide and ester/alcohol friction modifying agents, by reacting (a) a carboxylic acid, such as oleic acid and/or isostearic acid with an amine, such as diethylene triamine or tetra ethylene pentane, and (b) glycerine mono oleate and/or glycerine monoricinoleate.

New technology has recently opened the door to many additional friction reducing elements such as onion-like nano-carbons, nano-carbon tubes, graphene sheets and other additives which have increased the friction reduction in some oils. See, for example, Alazemi et al.'s paper, “Ultrasmooth Submicrometer Carbon Spheres as Lubricant Additives for Friction and Wear Reduction”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, accepted for publication Feb. 17, 2015, pages A-H; and, Matsumoto et al. “Friction reducing properties of onion-like carbon based lubricant under high contact pressure.” Tribology-Materials, Surfaces & Interfaces, Vol. 6, No. 3 (September 2012), pp. 116-120.

Applicants have discovered an improved engine oil additive that increases the friction reduction capability of the most modern resource-conserving motor oils utilizing nano-engineered carbon particles, differing from the ultra smooth carbon spheres of the Alazemi et al. article and the onion-like carbon particles of the Matsumoto et al. article, with a non-ionic surfactant carried in an resource-conserving oil.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A friction-reducing oil additive of the present application comprises closed faceted nano-shells of carbon, providing an empty inner core; a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group; a lubricating carrier oil comprised of a resource-conserving oil of ILSAC GF-5 quality; and, an ester of glycerol providing at least one free alcohol group. The closed faceted nano-shells of carbon of this additive provides an empty inner core, formed by heating a quantity of amorphous carbon in a plasma arc having a temperature higher than 5000° C. which is mixed with a non-ionic surfactant providing a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10). This mixture of closed faced nano-shells of carbon and non-ionic surfactant is then added to a carrier oil to produce a nano-engineered dispersion(NED).The NED is then combined with an ester of glycerol, commonly known as glycerol mono-oleate, to form the friction reducing oil additive of the present application.

A method for manufacture of a friction-reducing oil additive comprises the steps of gathering a quantity of amorphous carbon powder; heating the amorphous carbon powder in a plasma arc to form a nano-engineered carbon (NEC); mixing the NEC, after heating in the plasma arc, with a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group; adding a lubricating carrier oil comprised of a resource-conserving oil of ILSAC GF-5 quality, to form a nano-engineered-dispersion (NED); and then blending a glycerol mono oleate (GMO) with the NED to form the friction-reducing oil additive combining 55% by volume of the NED with 45% by volume of the GMO to form the active friction reducing nano-fluid oil additive.

More specifically, this friction-reducing oil additive comprises a nano-engineered carbon stream formed by moving amorphous carbon through a continuous heating in a plasma arc having a temperature higher than 5000° C. forming a plurality of closed faceted shells, providing an empty inner core, having an outer diameter correlated to a diameter of the starting amorphous carbon material; a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10); a lubricating carrier oil of a resource-conserving SAE 10W-30 oil, of ILSAC GF-5 quality, combined to produce a nano-engineered dispersion (NED); a glycerol mono oleate to form an active friction reducing additive. The 55 Vol % of NEI) and 45 Vol % of GMO provide 0.2 wt. % of NEC and 2.0 wt. % of GMO, respectively, to 5 quarts of engine oil, when 8 ounces of the friction reducing additive is added to the 5 quarts of engine oil. The quantity of amorphous carbon powder provides a particle size of between 2 to 5 nm; which is then heated in a plasma arc to least 5000° C. to form a nano-engineered carbon (NEC); this NEC is mixed with a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group, having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10); which is then added to a lubricating carrier oil of a resource-conserving SAE10W-30 oil of ILSAC GF-5 quality, to form a nano-engineered-dispersion (NED); blending the NEI) with a glycerol mono oleate (GMO) to form an active friction reducing additive to form a blend of Vol % of the NED and 45 Vol % of GMO thereby providing 0.2 wt. % of NEC and 2.0 wt. % of GMO to 5 quarts of engine oil when 8 ounces of the 55 Vol %/45 Vol % blend is added to the engine oil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT Summary of Method of Manufacture

This friction-reducing oil additive provides a synergistic effect: of increasing the friction-reducing character of the component lubricants in a new and unique manner. The conversion of the amorphous carbon to a highly graphitized three-dimensional closed structure, often with an empty inner core, is accomplished by passing a sufficient quantity of amorphous carbon through an arc which is maintained at a heat higher than 5000° C. producing concentric shells with outer diameters correlated to the diameter of the starting amorphous carbon particles. These nano-engineered carbon particles (NEC) differ from carbon nano-onions or onion-like carbons, which are concentric spheres often completely filled to the core. Spacing between layers is less than in the onion-like structures due to imposed spherical strain.

These forms of onion-like carbon are typically formed in a high temperature vacuum furnace process, with temperatures set to exceed 1700° C. to effect the conversion. This batch process is exceedingly slow, with long temperature cycle times and meager production rates. The new process of passing the amorphous carbon particles through an arc with a temperature in excess of 5000° C. permits the continuous production of NEC. The use of the plasma arc allows phase diverging electrode configuration that is self stabilizing, low maintenance and scalable for efficient manufacturing of the friction-reducing oil additive of the present application.

These closed-shell nano-carbon faceted shells can be the primary base material for manufacturing of the nano-fluid dispersion forming the first part of the friction-reducing oil additive. The nano-particles formed by this process are smaller than 100 nm in diameter and, when combined with a non-ionic surfactant having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10), sometimes identified as Triton X-100, a registered trademark of Rohm & Haas Co., form a nano-fluid which is combined with an SAE 10W-30 carrier lubricating oil having an ILSAC GF-5 or better quality rating, also identified as API SN, resource-conserving oil providing a nano-engineered dispersion (NED) of 0.2 wt % when 8 ounces of NED are added to 5 quarts of engine oil, which exhibits increased lubricity in bench friction tests. This NED alone provides additional friction reduction of 12.5% over the engine oil alone.

As previously described, U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,571 (Aug. 8, 1978), a lubricating compound which imparts reduced engine friction and improved fuel economy can be formed from an ester of polycarboxylic acid and a glycol. The polar functionality present in the reaction product of the polycarboxylic acid and the glycol is also present in glycerol mono oleate (GMO) described above. The GMO, at 2.0 wt. %, was tested in the same reference SAE 5W-30 ILSAC GF-5 engine oil, using the same bench friction tests described above. This test indicated that this mixture provided an additional 15.0% friction reduction benefit: relative to the resource conserving, ILSAC GE-5, SAE 5W-30 reference oil.

When both the NED and the GMO are combined in the ratio of 55 vol % NED to 45 vol % of GMO, the additional friction reduction increases to 20.0%.

Demonstration of Friction Reduction by Bench Testing

Applicant has tested the claimed composition of motor oil additive using the SRV(R) Test System 20 mm 52100 Steel Ball/Steel Disk MO step4 conditions. Using a commercial SAE 5W-30 oil providing friction modifiers is a ILSAC GF-5 quality oil satisfying the Sequence VII) Test, ASTM D7589. The first test was the pure SAE 5W-30, ILSAC GF-5, resource-conserving reference oil as a baseline. Next, the reference oil plus the NED (providing a 0.2 wt % of the NEC) described herein was tested resulting in a 12.5% increase in friction reduction, as measured by the area under the curve by plotting the coefficient of friction versus time resulting from the load test run by the Optimal Instruments SRV (R) Tribometer. Following that test, 2.0 wt. % of GMO in baseline reference oil was tested and exhibited a 15% increase in friction reduction. When the two anti-friction additives were mixed together (0.2 wt.% of NEC and 2.0 wt. % of GMO), and tested in the baseline reference oil, a 20% additional friction reduction was experienced, suggesting the synergistic effect of adding these two anti-friction elements to the reference oil.

To verify that the increase in total weight for both additives was not less successful, the NED in combination with the ILSAC GF-5 motor oil was increased to provide a 2.2 wt % of the NEC in the mixture resulting in only a 6.6% increase in friction reduction. When the GMO in combination with the ILSAC GF-5 motor oil was increased to 2.2 wt %, the test indicated only a 5% increase in friction reduction, suggesting that an increase in the addition of either NED or GMO neither added to the friction reducing properties of the two elements when used in the specific combination suggested herein.

It is believed that any mono ester of glycerol containing at least one free hydroxyl group and could also be constructed by a mixture of mono and di-esters of glycerol as a source of the friction-reducing properties as long as at least one free hydroxyl group is available to the combined composition.

As might he evident to one skilled in this art, various modifications or enhancements to the invention can be made or followed in light of the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention in the claims as set: forth herein. 

1. A friction-reducing oil additive comprising: closed faceted nano-shells of carbon, providing an empty inner core; a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group; a lubricating carrier oil comprised of a resource-conserving oil of SAC GF-5 quality; and, an ester of glycerol providing at least one free alcohol group.
 2. The friction-reducing oil additive of claim 1 wherein the closed faceted nano-shells of carbon, providing an empty inner core, are formed by heating an amorphous carbon in a plasma arc having a temperature higher than 5000° C.
 3. The friction-reducing oil additive of claim 1 wherein the non-ionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group has a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10).
 4. The friction-reducing oil additive of claim 1 wherein the ester of glycerol providing at least one free alcohol group is glycerol mono-oleate.
 5. A method for manufacture of a friction-reducing oil additive comprising the steps of: gathering a quantity of amorphous carbon powder; heating the amorphous carbon powder in a plasma arc to form a nano-engineered carbon(NEC); mixing the NEC, with a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group; adding a lubricating carrier oil comprised of a resource-conserving oil of ILSAC GF-5 quality, to form a nano-engineered-dispersion (NED); and blending a glycerol mono oleate (GMO) with the NED to form the friction-reducing oil additive combining 55% by volume of the NED with 45% by volume of the GMO to form the active friction-reducing nano-fluid oil additive.
 6. A friction-reducing oil additive comprising: a nano-engineered carbon stream formed by moving amorphous carbon through a continuous heating in a plasma arc having a temperature higher than 5000° C. forming a plurality of closed faceted shells, providing an empty inner core, having an outer diameter correlated to a diameter of the starting amorphous carbon material; a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain and an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10); a lubricating carrier oil of a resource-conserving SAE 10W-30 oil, of ILSAC GF-5 quality, combined to produce a nano-engineered dispersion (NED); a glycerol mono o oleate to form an active friction educing additive. The 55 Vol % of NED and 45 Vol % of GMO provide 0.2 wt. % of NEC and 2.0 wt. % of GMO, respectively, to 5 quarts of engine oil, when 8 ounces of the friction reducing additive is added to the 5 quarts of engine oil.
 7. A method for manufacture of a friction-reducing oil additive comprising the steps of: gathering a quantity of amorphous carbon powder having a particle size of between 2 to 5 nm; heating the amorphous carbon powder in a plasma arc to least 5000° C. to form a nano-engineered carbon(NEC); mixing the NEC, with a nonionic surfactant that has a hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chain arid an aromatic hydrocarbon lipophilic group, having a chemical formula of C₁₄H₂₂O(C₂H₄O)_(n) (where n=9-10); adding a lubricating carrier oil of a resource-conserving SAE 10W-30 oil of ILSAC GF-5 quality, to form a nano-engineered-dispersion (NED); blending the NED with a glycerol mono oleate (GMO) to form an active friction reducing additive to form a blend of 55 Vol % of the NED and 45 Vol % of GMO thereby providing 0.2 wt. % of NEC and 2.0 wt. % of GMO when 8 ounces of friction reducing additive are added to 5 quarts of engine oil. 